Back Off My BF(F)
by WretchedLust
Summary: Miles and Tristan are getting serious, and Winston's getting jealous. Does he miss his best friend or is there something more behind it? Based off of the Can't Stop This Thing promos. Triles, Frankston, & SLIGHT Chiles.
1. Just A Game

**A/N: Hello everyone! Told you guys I'd be back for more ;) So this idea came to me after the first promo for next week's Can't Stop This Thing We Started ep premiered. It sparked a conversation between me and the lovely EvilValenStrife in which I brought up the clip in the Something To Talk About season 14 promo where Tristan tells someone to "Back off his bf". It got me thinking that what if it's not Maya like everyone is assuming it is - what if it's Winston? I can almost guarantee it will be Maya but regardless, that conversation build and my mind wandered and created this little thing here. I'm hoping to have it done before we find out what really goes down in the episode but no promises. Like always, enjoy and be sure to let me know what you guys think!**

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><p><strong>Chapter One: Just A Game<strong>

"What's _he _doing here?", Winston groaned throwing an exasperated hand in the air.

His dark eyes rolled sharply from under his glasses as he flinched back towards the TV screen, just missing Miles linking arms with his new blonde obsession. His spindly fingers tightened around the sides of the game controller. All he wanted was a few hours of unfiltered language and gruesome animated carnage with his best friend before Frankie got home. Not to say he didn't like spending time with his girlfriend. He did, of course - but he still wasn't used to all the talk about Power Cheer and hair appointments; and was nearly prepared to drop to his knees and pray for some guy time if it hadn't been offered to him so soon. There was always something about battling n00bs side-by-side with his best friend spewing out foul slurs along with him that cleared his head like nothing else. It brought him into his own element where everything was content. No girls, no parents, no school, no problems.

But then _he_ walked in - or rather, waltzed in - throwing his obnoxious orange man-purse to the floor and plopping down next to Miles as if he fucking owned the place. It wasn't that Winston had anything against Tristan. Or at least, he didn't used to. There was just something about him over the last couple weeks that drove Chewy completely fucking insane. It had certainly taken him by surprise when he caught his best friend lip-locking with Tristan the night of that big storm. He knew they had that awkward one-sided kiss in Paris but that night was something totally different. It showed in the way Miles had Tristan pressed up against the wall, his hands resting delicately on the other boy's hips while they made out as if he was some girl Miles had been lusting over for months. It wasn't as if Miles hadn't just sworn to him minutes before that he and Tristan were just friends. Winston had known Miles since they were 5 and could say pretty confidently that Miles was not that friendly. It made him wonder what other shit Miles had kept from him - and why he couldn't just fucking tell him instead of sending everyone off into the dark for some fake game so he could suck face with Tristan.

Winston had stuck by Miles for every dumb thing he did their entire life - every campaign ruining stunt, every unsupervised party, every reckless escapade, even that god awful dance class he took when they were in elementary school. If this whole liking boys thing wasn't some dickish ruse, why hadn't he told him about it? And if it was - why the hell was he dragging it so far? Winston barely even saw Miles anymore outside of class other than the occasional brief passing through the Hollingsworth house. When he did, Tristan suddenly was the hot topic. If he wasn't attached to Miles like a tick then the name was just about all that left the brunette's mouth. If Winston had a dollar for every time he heard Miles mention Tristan on the way home the Hollingsworths would be broke.

And now he was there - with no more explanation than a casual mumble of an apology from Miles as he worriedly glanced from Tristan to Chewy - ruining their game night with his obvious disapproval. He listened to Miles and Tristan banter behind him and could hear the crack of the metaphorical whip in Miles' voice. The dude was putty in Tristan's hand. Miles had never acted like this with girls he dated in the past. Sure, he brought them around but never this much and he certainly would have never let them interrupt game time. Maya would have just sat there and watched - maybe making the occasional comment that Miles would briefly chuckle at but ultimately ignore. He never would have let her talk him into ending their intense battle to play Just Dance. He tried to fight back at Tristan's suggestion but Miles was already half way off the couch before he could even finish his sentence.

Chewy sulked against the back of the couch as he watched Tristan practically bounce off the walls as Miles set up the game. Lord knows if he tried to bring Frankie in with an input on their game night Miles would complain as if the fucking world was going to end. In fact, if he tried to bring up Frankie at all it was like crossing into forbidden territory. But somehow it was perfectly fair for Winston to have to listen to him ramble on about his supposed boyfriend. He was fed up with his bullshit. He just wanted things to go back to normal. Feeling the frustration building up inside him he rose to his feet with a huff and began to head towards the door.

"Where you going?", Miles questioned without looking away from his crouched position as he fumbled with the game console

"I'm just gonna go wait outside until Frankie gets back home."

Miles paused then, checking the clock before turning to look at his friend with a raised brow.

"You're gonna wait outside for two more hours?"

"Uh huh.", Winston's response was flat and dry causing Tristan to pipe up

"It's a two player game, ya know. We'll take turns. Here why don't you go first-"

"I'm not playing Just Dance.", Winston stated sharply for the second time that day, cutting him off

Tristan's eyes shot to Miles who was now staring Chewy down with an expressionless face. Winston couldn't see the look with his back turned toward the two boys, but the tension in the room still grew alarmingly.

"Dude. What's your problem?", Miles asked earning an angsty sigh from his best friend

"Uh why not?", Tristan avoided Miles' question and pushed cheerfully, talking with his hands out to over exaggerate his question, "You know you want to. And girls looove a guy who knows how to move."

He shimmied as he sauntered towards Chewy with the controller getting a breathy laugh out of Miles. But Winston wasn't having it.

"CAN IT, TRISTAN!", he snapped turning back towards the boys

Tristan's crystal eyes grew wide. He had never seen Winston angry before. Miles ditched the game and walked up behind his boyfriend.

"Umm, okay what's the issue here?", Tristan gawked as he motioned between himself and Winston, settling into his hip

"EVERYTHING WAS SO MUCH BETTER BEFORE YOU GOT HERE!", Winston continued to gripe swinging his arm in front of him to keep the distance

Tristan gasped and pursed his lips, stepping back and instantly feeling Miles' protective hand on his shoulder. Winston's pale skin began to darken as his blood boiled. It wasn't like him to get so flustered around others. But now he was like a shaken champagne bottle - one the cork is removed you can't keep it from exploding.

"Whoa, Chewy. Calm down, alright? Tristan didn't do anything.", Miles spoke to him as calmly as he could

"That's what you think."

"Maybe I should go...", Tristan started and began to wiggle his shoulder away from Miles grip

"No. Stay, Tris.", Miles ordered quietly tightening his hold, "Chewy's being ridiculous."

"_I'm_ being ridiculous?!", Winston spat and shook his head in disbelief, "You used to have my back. We used to be bros..."

"You're talking as if we haven't spoken in years or something.", Miles grumbled cutting Winston off again

"Don't even try to act like everything's not different since he came along, Miles! Suddenly you're MIA all the time. You're blowing off our games and wearing fugly flannel shirts and obsessing over some...boy?! It's fucking stupid! You're like a completely different person!"

"Funny. I wouldn't have pegged you as a 'phobe.", Tristan shot bitterly and Winston groaned

"Oh my god...I'm not homophobic, alright?!"

"Look.", Miles butted in before that debate got any uglier, "Dude, it's just a game..."

"Just a game?! Really, Miles?! You still think this is about the fucking game? DID YOU LISTEN TO ANYTHING I JUST SAID?!", Winston's voice boomed throughout the otherwise silent house before settling back to normal, "Or is everything just a game to you, Miles? Forget it. I'm done here."

With that he turned around to leave again, rushing to the back door at a brisk walk. Tristan took a deep breath and turned to Miles with a look of concern.

"Do you wanna go talk to him?", he asked and Miles shook his head

"No. Not right now. Let's just forget about him. He's being an ass hole. Let him wait outside alone so he can pounce on my baby sister some more."

Tristan could sense Miles' anger but knew better than to pry. He planted a gentle kiss on the other boy's strong cheekbone before cracking a magnified smile and changing the subject back to the game; challenging Miles to try to beat his high score at Break Free.


	2. Kissing

**Chapter Two: Kissing**

"Miles is such a self-centered dick sometimes." Winston complained with spite burning at the tip of his tongue

"You're just figuring that out?" Frankie questioned with a laugh and she felt her boyfriend shrug against her

"Why do you care, anyways?" She asked peering up at him

He avoided the question for as long as he could, only half contemplating it as he tried to focus on anything else. He stared straight ahead at the Hollingsworth pool, watching the way the dim light caught the pool as the sun lowered. The sky was a beautiful array of deep colors, giving the water an almost purple hue. The two were resting together on a cushioned lawn chair along the Hollingsworth pool – with Frankie's head against his chest and their bodies just barely overlapping until their legs tangled together at the end. He focused on how soft Frankie's hair was against his fingertips as he gently stroked through it, her long locks running through the gaps smoothly. Their conversation had been entirely sound-tracked by the sounds of Miles' and Tristan's little play date blaring from the window behind them. The entire thing was a mess of banter and laughter, along with the occasional thud or curse all being supported by a number of obnoxious pop tunes – the current pick being Demi Lovato's "Neon Lights." It sounded entirely different than when Winston and Miles would take over the room.

"Come on…come on…yes! You got it babe!" Miles cheered causing Winston to scoff before realizing he couldn't distract himself anymore

"I dunno." He spoke reluctantly as if admitting a secret, even though he spoke the truth. He really didn't know why he was so peeved. He felt threatened and confused and back-stabbed. "He _is_ my best friend."

That was also the truth. He was sick of Miles' crap right then and there but ultimately it would take a lot to just call the friendship off for good. He cared about Miles. He knew eventually he would get bored of this charade and everything could go back to normal. Perhaps he just had to keep a low profile until that day came.

"At least you've got me!" Frankie reminded him cheerfully as she sat up to give him a quick peck on the lips

He happily accepted her kiss, hoping his hesitance didn't show on his face. He cared about Frankie a lot. Their relationship had been wonderful so far and he honestly wouldn't trade it for anything. She wasn't just Miles' little sister anymore. She was a part of him – one that he wasn't looking to give up anytime soon. But he couldn't rely on her and his parents as his only frequent human interaction. As much as he hated to acknowledge it in their current state Miles was a part of him too. Miles was the only best friend he ever had to escape to, and the thought of losing that made him feel sort of empty. But he couldn't tell Frankie that. She wouldn't understand. So he faked his best smile as their lips separated and held her closer as she nuzzled back into his chest.

"Stay the night?" she asked raising her voice above the booming chorus of "Fancy" blasting through the window

"I don't know, Frankie…" He groaned, his anguish apparent on his face as she laid on her side next to him. She watched his body grow stiff at her question.

"Oh pleeeeeaaasssseeee, baby?" she begged with hopeful eyes

"I'm not sure if I can handle sharing a room with those two tonight…" he continued knowing well that he wouldn't be allowed to stay in Frankie's room

"Oh, come on! Just don't go in the room until you're ready to fall asleep. I'm sure we can think of something to pass the time."

She didn't need to tell him her suggestion. The smirk on her lips said it all. Winston felt his anger diminish with the kiss. This one was deeper, pulling him in to a blissful sensation as their lips locked. His eyes fluttered shut and his hand gently fell to the side of her face, tipping her chin up to bring their mouths closer. Her fragile hand rested on his bicep as their lips moved together. Frankie nibbled gently on his bottom lip and he perked up, leaning over her to deepen the passion in their kiss before pulling apart for air.

"Okay fine.", he agreed with a slight smile, "I'll stay. But we are not done kissing."

Winston's lips were sore by the time him and Frankie finally made their way up the stairs. He had one hand laced in hers and the other against the base of his neck, rubbing at a slight red mark that he prayed would remain covered by his shirt. He was definitely happy Frankie had convinced him to stay so late, but his demeanor soon changed. He had been hoping Miles and Tristan had already gone to bed. It was past 10pm after all and the previous week's school stresses had to have them as tired as he. But he could already hear their voices through the cracked door as they reached the top of the stairs.


	3. The Language of Love

**Chapter Three: The Language of Love**

"Mi-les!", Tristan split his name into two syllables as he squealed before both broke out in a fit of snickers, "What does that one mean?"

"I dunno", Miles shrugged unconvincingly with a smug grin on his face, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Ohmygod! Yes you do!" Tristan was going to insist further but he was cut off by another slew of foreign words.

_"Mon dieu, j'aime ton rit. Je peut t'écouter toute la journée. Mais ça va rendre difficile pour t'embrasser."_

Miles voice was unusually husky, his lips settled between Tristan's ear and jawline as he spoke. His hot breath tickled as it traveled down the blonde's neck, making him writhe and giggle. He was beginning to understand why French was known as The Language of Love. Miles was propped up on his side with one elbow, the other hand pressed flat against the bed on the opposite side of his boyfriend. Tristan's hands were locked tightly behind Miles' neck, fingers intertwined as he laid obtuse against the messy stack of pillows in front of the headboard. The two were lost in their own little world, completely unaware of any other presence until Frankie kicked the door open the rest of the way. The sound of her foot smacking the wood made Tristan jump, but Miles didn't even flinch before untangling himself from Tristan. He took in the sight of the couple hand-in-hand at the doorway, surprised Chewy was still even there.

"Winston's staying the night." Frankie stated in time with Miles' final thought.

She didn't have to elaborate for Miles to know what that meant. It meant that his and Tristan's little French lesson had to come to an end so they could peacefully invite Winston into the room with them. He tried not to let the minor dissapointment come up in his voice. He was still pissed about Chewy's outburst earlier, but figured being civil might just be the best option.

"Of course. It is getting late. Chewy, you can have the bed. I can take the floor and Tris, you want the couch?"

He was hoping his consideration would erase some of the distaste from Winston's expression. But he only responded with a muffled acceptance. Tristan nodded silently in agreement and the two scrambled off the bed. Miles' bed was big enough to fit all three comfortably, but neither of the couple saw it as a good idea to mention that. Frankie kissed Winston goodnight with an assurance that she'd see him in the morning and dragged herself to her own room with a yawn. As the three boys got ready for bed Winston shuffled through the bottom drawer of Miles' dresser, pulling out a pair of pajamas he kept there in the likely event of an impromptu sleepover. He had started stashing things in that drawer when they were kids so he never had to worry about bringing anything "just in case." He couldn't help the sly grin that swept across his face when Miles had to lend a pair of his own to Tristan. Winston was the first in bed, searching for a comfortable position while Miles set up the sleeping arrangements for himself and Tristan. He removed his glasses and set them on the nightstand, closing his eyes in anticipation for the lights to go off.

Miles made a makeshift bed out of blankets on the floor, just at the base of the small leather couch that was pressed up against his wall. He threw done one of the two extra pillows and handed the other to Tristan, who sat under his own pile of blankets on the couch. The couch was more comfortable than he had assumed it would be, leaving him slightly less bitter that Winston made out with the nice, cozy bed. After both boys adjusted to their liking Miles knelt down on top of his creation and met Tristan's warm gaze. Tristan swung around to face Miles and greeted him with a chaste kiss.

"Mm, how do you say goodnight in French again?" Tristan questioned and he could feel the radiance from Miles' smile against his lips

_"Bonne nuit, mon bien-aimé" _Miles whispered before connecting their lips once more in a rather noisy smooch

The two suddenly found themselves staring into pitch black as Winston flicked the lights off himself.

_"Bonne nuit,_ everyone" Tristan's soft voice was the last sound any of them heard before they all drifted off into their separate dreams.

His voice was also what woke Winston out of his peaceful slumber, this time louder and accompanied by a pillow being thrown at his head. He tried to ignore it, listening to the blonde repeat the same exclamation over and over.

"Miles! Ugh, shit. Winston! Wake up, you dummy! Something's up with Miles." He hissed

It took about eight times before Winston decided not to ignore Tristan's calls, sitting up in bed with an infuriated groan. He reached for his glasses and slammed them on to make out the image of Tristan in the dark, crouched next to Miles' side and shaking him gently. He knew exactly what Tristan was referring to before his eyes even adjusted to the sight. He could hear the familiar thumping sounds against the carpeted floor.

"It's just a freaking twitch! He does that in his sleep. He always has." Winston pointed out, the annoyance taking over his voice.

"Uh...yeah, what he said." A groggy Miles agreed as he squinted against the darkness, fresh out of slumber

"Oh." Tristan's voice was quiet now, weighed down with a mixture of remorse and slight embarrassment, "Sorry guys, I-I didn't know."

He retreated back up to the couch, pulling his knees up to his chest in defeat. Winston was already mad at everyone and now he'd just messed things up even worse.

"It's okay Tris-" Miles started but Winston only scoffed, crawling back under the covers and pulling them in tightly in frustration. He wanted so badly to keep his mouth shut and go back to sleep. But it was as if he lost all control of his words.

"Maybe if you weren't watching him sleep like some kind of creepo..."

"It woke me up!" Tristan defended himself, his over-emotional state catching at his throat from the stress and lack of sleep

"Hey!", Miles interjected sitting up and both boys focused on him, "Both of you! Keep it down! You guys are gonna wake my parents up. Chewy, relax. He didn't know. He's never stayed the night here before. Remember how freaked out you were when you stayed the night with me for the first time?"

"Yeah, but I was five...", Chewy muttered under his breath

"Tristan was only being considerate. You should try it." His demeanor instantly softened as he brought his attention to his worried boyfriend. "Thank you, Tris but I'm okay. It happens all the time. Here...wanna come lay down here with me until you fall back asleep?"

"Ooh yay! Snuggles!" Tristan instantly lit up, clapping quietly as he scampered down from the couch

Miles smiled sleepily as he lifted the top blanket, inviting his boyfriend under. Chewy groaned, biting his lip to keep from full-fledged screaming in frustration. He had had it. A string of curse words ran through his head - occasionally interjected with thoughts of how he never should have let Frankie convince him to sleep over and how completely and utterly through he was with Miles. He continued to gripe internally as he sat up once more, this time swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and coming to a stand. He pulled the string on Miles' bedside lamp, bringing an unnecessary brightness to the room. Miles groaned, momentarily sliding away from Tristan to sit up himself.

"What are you doing, Chewy?" Miles' voice was tired and desperate

"Leaving."

"How the hell are you gonna get home? Your parents are definitely asleep."

Crap. Winston hadn't thought about that. He glanced at the clock - 3:28 am. His parents would be beyond pissed if he called them for a ride at that time. The last thing he needed right now was another source of anger. He found his discarded jeans on the floor and dug into his pockets for his wallet. He thumbed through his few dollar coins, mumbling something about money for a cab.

"Here. Let me drive you home." Miles offered, reluctantly dragging his feet in so he could stand.

Tristan tugged at his arm, keeping him down and shooting him a wary look. He was exhausted and it was way too early. No way in hell should he be driving around right now. Miles looked back at him as if to ask what he was supposed to do, but Winston was quick to speak again. He slipped his wallet back into his pocket in defeat, not having nearly enough change on him.

"No, Miles. I'll sleep in another room, I guess." He huffed

He was sick of Miles thinking he could always step up to the plate last minute and fix everything. He would find another place to get some rest and leave first thing in the morning.

"Go in my sister's room and you're dead." Miles snarled seriously as his eyes darkened.

Tristan could feel his boyfriend tense up under his grip and he released his hands quickly. That was one argument he did not want to get between.

"I won't.", Winston stated and as if he read Miles' mind he answered the next question just as the brunette's mouth opened. "I'll just...I'll...crash with Hunter."

The idea was incredibly uncomfortable but certainly less so than staying in the room with those two idiots. He ripped a blanket off the bed and clenched a pillow under his arm, calling out behind him angrily as he stormed out.

"You guys take the fucking bed. Have fun touching each other's butts, or whatever."

And with that, the door slammed behind him - forbidding anyone from another opportunity to speak.

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><p><strong>Some of you may have noticed this chapter was re-written a bit. Turns out my original translations were way off. (Screw you, Google Translate! )Thanks to the awesome AmethystBeloved for correcting the original translations. You're the real homie. <strong>

**French Translation #1 - "Damn, I love your laugh. I could listen to it all day. But that would make it so hard to kiss you."**

**French Translation #2 - "Goodnight, my beloved."**

**How's everyone liking the tension so far?!**


	4. Over It

**Chapter Four: Over It**

"What even just happened?", Tristan gaped attempting to sit up next to Miles

As soon as Tristan started to rise Miles hand met his shoulder, gently coaxing him back down as he lowered himself back onto the blanket covered floor. Miles became the big spoon, lowering his arm to lay snugly over Tristan's chest as their bodies molded together.

"Couldn't tell ya.", Miles retorted as they finally settled into a comfortable position

"Did I...do something wrong?"

"No, of course not. At least, not that I can remember - and if you did anything to cause this big of an uproar we'd all know about it. The dude's just being a prick", Miles let out an exhausted breath before continuing, "He turns his back on me in court. He's all over my little sister - first I caught 'im shirtless in her bed and now he's got a hickey on his neck? Probably thinks I didn't notice too, the dick. He's insulting my boyfriend and starting stupid fights that are being way blown out of proportion for no apparent reason. And he tries to say I'm being a bad friend - yeah well, some example he's setting."

"So, what now?", Tristan questioned cautiously nuzzling up deeper into Miles warm body

"Now, you sleep. And once you're asleep I'll move you to the bed and I'll return to this very spot to do the same. And we'll all live happily ever after, or something."

"I mean with Winston, Miles." Tristan rolled his eyes

"I'm over it. He wants to act like a child then I don't need him around. He can talk to me when he learns to grow up."

Tristan wanted to press the issue further but he could hear the weariness growing thicker in the brunette's voice. So he decided to push the thoughts aside till morning and shut his eyes, letting the sound of Miles heartbeat lull him back to sleep.

The only time the incident was even mentioned over the weekend was when the two sloppily made their way downstairs the next morning. The ten minutes of Hunter complaining to everyone, yet nobody in particular, about how Winston was lucky he was still up playing Realm of Doom when he came knocking at his bedroom door was enough. Apparently he had done just as he said and crashed on Hunter's floor that night, only to leave early that morning with no more than a simple apology stricken kiss for his half-awake girlfriend.

When Winston arrived to class on Monday morning he was nowhere near surprised to see Tristan and Miles already in their seats - positioned at a table for two instead of their usual table for three. The couple was well aware of his presence but chose not to acknowledge him, continuing on with their conversation as he slumped into a seat next to Zoe.

"Ditched by Miles?", Zoe asked feeding off the obvious tension in Winston's glare, "Don't worry. He gets bored easily."

He hadn't even noticed he had been staring at the two until she spoke. He looked up at the ceiling with a sigh, not even sure of what to say to her. He had spent the entire weekend pissed off over that stupid night. He was holding such a hard grudge over the entire situation and he wasn't even sure why. He could feel the anger tightening every muscle in his body. Zoe sat up knowingly at his reaction, leaning in closer to the dark haired boy.

"C'mon. Tell me what happened.", she pressed

Winston had never exactly been tight with Zoe but for whatever reason he did as she asked. He talked and talked and talked, pouring every detail out onto her like word vomit. He wasn't even sure what was going on in class - or if class had even started - by the time his story was finally through. He couldn't believe he just spilled everything out that easily. He had to admit, he felt a little less tense - but it was so unlike him to get worked up over anything. That's when he caught the look in Zoe's eyes - the gleam that screams trouble and scheming. He questioned her hesitantly, and she only shook her head gawking at him in disbelief. It took a moment for her to collect herself, her hushed voice growing slightly louder as she spoke.

"You _like_ Miles!"

"Uh. Yeah. Oh-kay", Winston toyed back sarcastically rolling his eyes "I'm straight. I have a girlfriend, you know."

"And so did Miles before switching teams!" Zoe fought back "I was one of them, remember? And so was little miss Matlin."

"So?"

"So! You're totally head over heels for him! Why else would you be so threatened by his relationship?"

"Because -", Winston started but then quickly realized he had no answer. He tried his best to come up with something, his head seeming emptier than ever. "I-I don't know, okay? But I don't like dudes."

"How do you know that if you've never tried?" Zoe questioned and Winston could feel the goose bumps form from her words

Suddenly everything got hot. A wave of anxiety crashed over him and he struggled to conceal the blush creeping up his skin. He tried to find the words to retaliate but his mouth grew too dry and his mind was like an old abandoned house. The hair on his arms stood on end like in the horror movies. He was useless - unable to form any sort of thoughts that made sense.

"...We should really get some work done." Winston finally choked out

He showed his persistence to end the conversation by suddenly bringing his pen to his notebook and rushing to copy what was already on the board, leaving Zoe to smirk to herself.


	5. Crushed

**Chapter Five: Crushed**

Winston could not have left class fast enough, nearly pushing through the crowd of exiting students. He was hoping getting into the spacious school hallway would make him feel less claustrophobic. But even as he power walked away from the door it still felt as if the walls were closing in on him. His heart and mind were in sync with his feet, racing and pounding with every step. His entire body felt numb and disconnected. He moved without thinking, the journey to his locker seeming to take so much longer than normal. He fumbled with the padlock, the combination of numbers escaping him the first few tries. He threw his books into the metal space with a loud clang and began to dig around the space, hoping to find a discarded water bottle somewhere in the clutter. He managed to dig one up and brought the spout to his shaky lips. His body urged him to chug the whole thing in one take but he didn't have the strength, sputtering and coughing with his first mouth full. His jagged breathing seemed so loud in his own ears that it could have been playing over the loudspeaker. Zoe's words were like a broken record replaying in his head, battled by his own inner voice insisting against it.

He didn't like Miles. He couldn't like Miles.

Eventually he crushed an empty bottle in his hand, throwing it harshly against the back of the locker to watch it fall back into the mess. He tried to coax himself through his panic attack, inhaling as deeply as he could through his nose and letting it exit through his lips. As the life slowly crept back into him he tried his best to think rationally. He didn't have much experience in the relationship department. He had only endured a few crushes in his life - Frankie being the first to ever lead anywhere. Most faded away after no time at all, never really having the chance to toy with his emotions. As far as he was concerned all his crushes had been girls. But, what if Zoe was right? After all, Miles suddenly liked guys - and this was Miles Hollingsworth III, the guy who'd had any girl he ever wanted wrapped around his finger since he was old enough to talk. Who's to say that Winston wasn't next?

When the bell finally rang he gathered his next set of supplies and scurried off to class - plotting in his head. He had no idea what it even felt like to have feelings for a guy. He had never really given it any thought. He began to make a mental list of things that needed to happen. First off, he could not let Frankie know. Ever. He would like to have children some day, and feared for what she might to do upon finding out her boyfriend could potentially have feelings for her brother. Second, he needed to figure out what he was feeling - and fast.

He tried to pretend like things weren't completely awkward as he climbed in the back of Miles' new car after school two days later. He let Hunter take the passenger seat, avoiding Miles' judgmental gaze as he adjusted his rear view mirror. Miles started the car but didn't move, turning the radio volume up to fill the uncomfortable silence with Echosmith.

"Uh. Why aren't we going?", Chewy finally asked anxiously raising his voice over the music

Frankie had power cheer practice after school and a hair appointment after that, so he knew she wasn't expected to join them. That was precisely why he had chosen to day to invite himself back over. He didn't want her around when he put his plan into action.

"We're waiting for Tristan.", Miles stated matter-of-factly as he cocked his eyebrow, "Is that a problem?"

Shit. Yes. Winston should have known that Miles wouldn't have been willing to hang out with him alone so easily. Of course he was going to invite Tristan along. That was exactly what got them into this mess in the first place. But he had to keep it cool. He would figure something out when they got back to Miles' house.

"Nope.", he replied sounding completely unsure but Miles' accepted it anyways

When Tristan finally met up to them almost ten minutes later he placed himself in the farthest seat from Winston, scowling the entire time. Everyone remained in an uncomfortable tension the entire ride home, all trying to pretend like they were the only one who felt it.

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><p><strong>AN: Ahh, this is getting tense! ;) I hope y'all are ready for what comes next. I'm REALLY hoping to have this story finished before the episode airs tonight. It's do able, but fingers crossed that I have enough time!**


	6. Expectations

**A/N: Hi all! Sorry it took so long to get back to this. Obviously I didn't finish it before the episode aired - which was a bit discouraging. Then I got busy with going home to visit for Thanksgiving. **

**Expectations**

Miles kept a white-knuckle grip on the wheel the entire ride home, his irritation only expanding as he thought to himself in the silence. He never should have let Tristan talk him in to this. When Chewy had texted him earlier that day to ask if he could come over Miles could only laugh to himself in disbelief. He was perfectly fine with deleting the message and pretending it was never there to begin with. But Tristan had other plans. He coaxed Miles into agreeing, droning on and on about how they needed to talk about the issue and how he couldn't give up on a nearly lifelong friendship. Deep down, Miles knew he was right. Him and Chewy had been ride-or-die's since they were kids. They had made it through just about everything together. But Winston hadn't exactly been keeping up his side of the bromance. From sucking face with his baby sister to his ridiculous outbursts at Miles' house just five days prior - it was all so out of character. Miles wasn't sure he had the patience for anything else new in his life. But after listening to Tristan ramble on about it for far too long, it was obvious that he wasn't going to let Miles brush Winston off. So he replied to Chewy with a reluctant "sure", earning a well-deserved smooch and a promise from his boyfriend to come along for support. If it wasn't for Tristan being there he probably would have lashed out at Winston already. But he held back until they got home, pressing his tongue hard against the inside of his cheek every time he thought about speaking up.

Winston was thankful for the silence. It gave him time to go over everything in his head. He was a nervous wreck, fiddling his thumbs in a terrible attempt to hide his anxiety. He tried to plan out what to say, but nothing seemed right. How does one go about telling their best friend they could be gay for them? Even though the words never came he ultimately knew what he had to do. The idea still made his stomach churn but he knew he couldn't rule it out. He had no idea what it felt like to become gay. But he did know that the jealousy and the abandonment he'd been feeling since Tristan came along were foreign emotions. He was so lost in thought it took him a minute to realize they had arrived at the Hollingsworth's. Miles, Tristan, and Hunter were already on their way through the front door when he exited the car. Like always the youngest of the 4 immediately made his way upstairs to dive right back in to the world of Realm of Doom, leaving the other 3 staring awkwardly at the living room carpet.

"So...is anyone else hungry? 'Cause I am star-ving!" As expected, Tristan was the first to speak up.

Miles groaned but faked a smile. He saw exactly what Tristan was planning. But he humored him anyways; knowing the quicker this was over with the better.

"Yeah sure. I could eat. Chewy?"

"I'm fine."

The other boy's focus still hadn't left the floor. Miles put an arm around Tristan's waist and gripped, keeping him stable while he leaned in for a kiss. He let it linger longer than he normally would, basking in Winston's annoyance. Tristan shot him a look when he pulled away but said nothing, turning on his heels to head towards the kitchen. Miles let out a deep breath and plopped down on the couch. Chewy hadn't budged.

"So...what? Are you here to talk to me or search my carpet for something else to bitch over?" Miles vocalized his thoughts with disgruntlement.

That caught Winston's attention. His head whipped in Miles direction, his eyes narrowing from under his glasses. His thoughts were like a tornado – quickly picking up an idea of what to say only to destroy it and erase its existence. The ideas spun around and around as he walked slowly towards Miles, but never made it far enough to be processed into words. Eventually he was just standing there, gaping at Miles but not attentive enough to recognize his puzzled expression.

Miles sat up straight, becoming more creeped out by the second as he waited for Winston to do whatever he was going to do. As Chewy's clammy hand met his shoulder he began to question out loud just what that was. He had no idea what to expect. But if there was anything that he expected, it certainly wasn't to be cut off by the other boy leaning down and firmly pressing his lips against his.


	7. Defeated

**Defeated**

Winston felt physically ill. It reminded him of the sickness he felt after him and Miles had taken some of his dad's chewing tobacco when they were kids. The vile taste had made their stomachs churn until they both vomited on his bathroom floor. The combination between the two had only stained their mouths with a taste twice as disgusting that seemed to linger for days. Only this time the only thing occupying his mouth was Miles. The kiss was over quicker than it had even started. Miles fought back immediately, jerking away from Winston with disgust.

"Oh hell no! Back off my BF!" Tristan's voice was as sharp as a dagger as he stormed into the room, making both boys jump

He slammed the tray full of pizza rolls down on to the coffee table, resulting in most of them flying off. The two boys had seemed so deep in conversation when he made his way back into the room that he didn't want to interrupt. He lingered by the doorway instead, trying so hard to find something else to occupy him so he wouldn't give in to the temptation to eavesdrop. But his curiosity had gotten the best of him, and he was damn glad it had. He joined the scene just in time to see that scrawny, geeky, weirdo make moves on his man. All along he had been trying to help Winston. He wanted to save his friendship with Miles even though he had been being a total idiot. If he thought this was the proper way to reconcile, he was about to be so far out the door he wouldn't even remember what the Hollingsworth's house looked like. Tristan was fuming. He was so pissed he couldn't even see straight and his heartbeat could be felt in his temples. But he quickly realized neither boy was paying much attention to him.

"What the hell man?!" Miles spat at Winston over Tristan's voice, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before reaching out to shove the other boy square in the chest

Winston's body shook at Miles blow but he shoved back anyways, purely out of instinct. He immediately regretted this. Miles jaw tightened, his fists clenching as he seriously considered how they would feel smashed against Winston's jaw.

"Guys." Tristan felt his common sense kick his anger to the curb.

He had never been one to condone settling anything with physical violence. He had seen how that ended with his brother multiple times. The outcome was never pleasant. He watched the two boys now basically wrestling on the couch, raising their voices at each other in an incoherent mess and couldn't stop his eyes from rolling. They had been best friends since they were two feet tall and here they were treating each other as if the other never mattered.

"Guys! You guys, knock it off!" Tristan's voice was sterner this time, causing Miles to grunt in frustration as he reluctantly pushed himself off of Winston.

Winston sat up sheepishly, avoiding making any eye contact. Miles, on the other hand, met his boyfriend's hard expression. The last thing he needed was Tristan pissed off too. It was a face he had only seen on Tristan on one other instance, but he didn't need to question what it meant. He knew it meant to stop and listen to what he had to say.

"This has obviously gotten way out of line." Tristan spoke up again. "Nothing is ever gonna get settled if all you guys do is throw each other around. So here's what's gonna happen. You're both gonna take turns talking, and you're going to listen. And after you guys have gone about this like mature, civilized men then you can smack each other around – if the need still applies."

"Tris…" Miles began with a sigh. He was appreciating what Tristan was trying for but he had little faith in the idea

"Okay." Winston cut Miles off with a nod and both boys turned to him quizzically "Um. Can I go first?"

He had been defeated – and as much as he hated to admit it, Tristan had a point. The only hope in fixing any of this mess was to just explain what had happened. Tristan glanced at Miles and he shrugged, unconcerned with the order.

"Sure Winston. But please, start with why you're kissing my boyfriend." Tristan's usual sass found its way back as he plopped down on the arm rest next to Miles

Winston gulped, trying to find the right words to say. Even though the story began way before, he decided to tend to Tristan's request.

"Well. That idea sorta came from Zoe Rivas…"

"You took advice from Zoe?!" Tristan gaped and Miles actually laughed a little, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Alright. Now I'm interested." Miles spoke through his smile, propping his feet up on the table before him and resting his hands behind his head


	8. Mediator Tristan

**Chapter 8: Mediator Tristan**

Winston had never been an expert at talking about his feelings. This was especially true when he had no idea what the hell he was feeling. But he tried his hardest to explain everything to Tristan and Miles. He recounted everything - from his side from the video game session when he blew up at Tristan to his talk with Frankie to the sleepover incident to his talk with Zoe and the panic that followed. The more he spoke, the more he realized how ridiculous it all seemed. He had really fucked up this time. Now Tristan and Miles were going to hate him for life. That would undoubtedly make things weird between him and Frankie too. He mentally counted his losses, slipping further into a state of mild depression.

"Then Zoe asked why I was so threatened by your relationship if I wasn't jealous of it. She said that Miles switched teams so fast, who's to say I wasn't next. It seemed valid." He shrugged, completely aware that his validity was wrong. "And I guess I just needed a way to know that I wasn't the next one to turn gay. I figured if I kissed Miles, I would know."

An awkward blush swept over his face. He really wasn't sure where to go from there.

"And?" Tristan spoke instantly, the first words either of the two boys had released since Winston started

"It was really gross." Winston answered in honesty, laughing slightly under his breath.

"Yeah, well you're no prize either." Miles mumbled bitterly, refusing to make eye contact with his friend

"Look. I'm really sorry guys. I was an idiot. I don't even know how to explain it..."

"I get it." Tristan interrupted with a sigh and both of the other boys looked at him quizzically "Winston. What do you like to do when you're with Frankie?"

Chewy was taken back by Tristan's question. He wasn't sure why that seemed relevant. But he was in no position to ignore it. Miles saw the situation differently. He groaned, meeting Tristan with a harsh glare.

"I don't want to hear this." He complained but Tristan linked his arm through Miles' keeping him grounded

The blonde gave Winston a reassuring look that it was safe to answer.

"Uh. Well. I like to talk to her about whatever. Mostly comics or each other. Everything just seems so much more interesting when it involves her. We watch movies together a lot too. And then uh - there's the cuddling...and the kissing..."

He stopped himself there as he could feel his face flushing darker by the second. His confession didn't seem to lighten the mood. Miles looked a new level of uncomfortable as both waited for Tristan to get to the point.

"Stuff you could never do the same way with Miles?" Tristan clarified and Chewy nodded his head quickly. "Look. Think of Miles and I like you and Frankie. There are a lot of things we like to do together that we couldn't do in the same way with anyone else. Especially those last two things you mentioned."

He winked at Winston before turning to Miles with a loving smile. For the first time, their cuteness didn't make Winston feel sick to his stomach. He had never thought of their relationship that way. Tristan let his words sink in for a moment before continuing.

"But there are also like, a ton of things that only you and Miles could do together too. Lord knows if I tried to join in on one of your video games I'd probably blow the whole console up." Tristan rolled his eyes as he continued on. "You're not jealous of our relationship because you like Miles. You're jealous because I'm doing things with Miles and it seems like it's coming between your guys's friendship. But it's not - everything we do together is completely different. You get the grotesque side of Miles and I get the romantic side. It's an even trade."

Winston wanted to question Tristan on how he knew all this. But his thoughts were addressed before he even got the chance to vocalize them. Winston noticed a hint of sadness nipping at his demeanor.

"When my best friend Tori got in her first relationship, I reacted the same way. Well...not exactly. But I was jealous enough to try to break them up." The blonde huffed with a guilty shrug. "Which only made things a lot worse. So, I know where you're coming from. In the end I had to learn the same thing - that the relationship she had with Zig wasn't a threat to the relationship she had with me. And between us - when she gave me my first kiss a few months later it was kind of a silent assurance that I am indeed ten thousand percent a flaming homosexual. Which by the way, is not something you just turn into overnight like some sort of horror movie creature."

All three boys chuckled to themselves, the tension in the room seeming to become a little thinner. Everything Tristan said made sense. He had never taken into consideration that jealousy could happen for other reasons. He realized the blonde was right. He didn't like Miles. He was just scared of losing his buddy. Tristan asked Miles if he had anything to add, and for the first time the boy shifted to look at Chewy. His face had grown softer, taking some of the fright off Winston.

"He's right Chewy. There's no reason to be threatened by Tristan. You're my bro. You're always gonna be my bro. I know Tristan's a guy but with him it's...it's different. I _like_ him. A lot."

He watched Miles take Tristan's hand in his and squeeze. The radiant grin that spread on both their faces was identical. In that moment he realized that this was the first time in a long time he had seen Miles truly happy. Who was he to try to knock that down?

"Nobody is replacing you." Miles repeated once more and Chewy nodded.

He finally understood. Tristan released himself from Miles and stood, clapping and rubbing his hands together as if he had some exciting news.

"Okay. Mediator Tristan has come to a verdict!"


	9. Not So Bad After All

**Chapter Nine: Not So Bad After All**

"You." Tristan pointed at Winston from his new standing position, "Need to quit trippin'. No more screaming. No more jealous rage. And definitely no more kissing my boyfriend."

He paused to flash Chewy a shady look. The raven haired boy lifted his hands and drew back, signaling that that experiment was long gone.

"You need to remember our relationship doesn't need to effect your friendship. You don't need to love it. But you need to accept it. And if something I'm doing is bothering you - just speak the hell up. I may have boyfriend dibs on some things, but you can claim friend dibs on others. We'll work like a team. You guys can still have your bro dates. I'm sure there's enough Miles to go around to give both of us our fix. And you-"

He turned on his heels to point at Miles. The two seated boys raised an eyebrow at Tristan.

"Me?" Miles wasn't sure he heard his boyfriend right, but Tristan nodded his assurance.

Miles sat up a little straighter, suspicion coursing through him. What the hell had he done?

"If you want Winston to accept our relationship, you have to learn to accept his too."

The room grew silent. Winston bit his lip, making a mental note to praise Tristan later. Miles rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to fight back but Tristan didn't let him.

"I know it's weird that your best friend is dating your sister. It's also weird for him that his best friend is dating a dude. See the similarities?" Tristan put Miles in his place with an eager smile. "Same thing goes to you that I told him. You don't have to love it. But you have to accept it. Maybe things wouldn't be so weird between you two if you didn't shove him away every time he brought your sister up."

"God dammit. I hate it when you're right." Miles sulked and Winston and Tristan beamed at each other.

"Now...hugs!" Tristan exclaimed leaning forward and pushing the two closer together

The best friends bumped into each other before awkwardly extending their arms. They embraced for an uncomfortable amount of time, both unsure of what to actually do. When Miles cleared his throat both boys pulled away quickly. Maybe hugs wouldn't be their thing. Tristan plopped down on the other side of Miles, putting his arm around his boyfriend. He really was glad that everything seemed resolved. He knew Winston still wasn't his biggest fan, but it was a start in the right direction.

"Hey uh...could you guys maybe do me a favor and not tell Frankie?" Winston asked with a guilty expression

"Tell Frankie what?"

The door slammed behind her as she entered the room, making Miles and Winston jump. She waited expectantly, her hand on her hip. Her brother and her boyfriend gaped at nothing in particular, stammering quietly as they tried to search for an excuse. Tristan rolled his eyes. Once again, it was his job to save the day.

"Tell you that I totally kicked your boyfriend's sorry butt at his little shooting game earlier." He interjected and Frankie raised a skeptical eyebrow

"Really?"

"Uh. Yeah. He whooped my ass babe." Winston played along, unsure if Frankie would buy Tristan's excuse

"Then why is the TV off?"

"Pizza roll break. Duh." Tristan rolled his eyes and motioned to the tray that was still laying disheveled on the coffee table. "We needed something in our systems. Because his punishment for losing miserably is that he has to play Just Dance with me."

Tristan smirked at Winston and Miles bit his lip, trying not to laugh at his boyfriend's sneakiness. Winston cracked a smile. He figured it was fair enough. He had just macked on the dude's man, and he was totally covering his ass with Frankie.

"This I gotta see!" Frankie responded with delight as she came forward and took a pizza roll for herself before plopping down on her boyfriend's lap

"By the way Winston, you were right. Frankie's new mocha colored highlights are flawless. They really make your eyes pop."

"You actually remembered what I was doing to my hair?!" The joy that swept across her face as she gawked at her boyfriend was the best sight he had ever seen.

"Uh yeah." He played along wrapping his arms around her waist. "How could I forget? I've had to imagine it for weeks. But it looks even more beautiful than it did in my mind."

She kissed her boyfriend and Chewy couldn't refrain from glancing over at the other boys. The first thing he noticed was the unusually relaxed state of Miles. He was actually trying to take Tristan's words to heart. The second thing he noticed was Tristan, grinning at them like an idiot with a look that said Chewy owed him big time. Winston smiled as the kiss let up. Perhaps having Tristan around wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yay it's finally finished! I know I failed big time at getting it done before the episode. But I hope you guys enjoyed my little head cannon. **


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